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SSridhar wrote:There is no fury like a woman scorned. Immy-the-Dummy is in for some tough time. He has been clever enough to escape on earlier occasions. This time it may be different. Insh'a Alla'h.

Hell, SS, hell. "Hell" hath no fury like a woman scorned. Since bakistan has often been equated to hell, it would seem the onus is on al bakistan to make good with ayeshaji. This would mean immy will feel the heat if al bakistan does nothing - viz - investigate the matter.

BEIJING: A Chinese expert has admitted that the recent political developments in Pakistan would affect the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) because some "variable factors" would come into play. The expert also said that some political parties in Pakistan have cast doubt on some specific items in their economic cooperation with China.

Writing in the state-backed Global Times, Lan Jiang, a professor with the China West Normal University, said, the "disqualification of Nawaz Sharif would likely bring some uncertainties to the ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Pakistani political parties have some disagreements on the project, especially whether the east or west route of the project should be given priority."

He also expressed concern that some part of the $50 billion CPEC project might come under investigation and face uncertainties if the ruling party loses the next election in 2018. "The CPEC project would face some uncertainties if the next election in 2018 leads to a ruling party change," he said.

This view flies in the face of a recent assertion by the Chinese foreign ministry, which said that the unseating of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif would not affect the project. "We believe the China Pakistan cooperative partnership will not be affected by the change in the situation inside Pakistan," foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on July 29.

Doubts have now surfaced in Beijing even though the new interim prime minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been handpicked by Sharif to keep the seat warm for a few weeks until his brother, Shahid Abbasi, completes the formalities to be elected as prime minister.

Jiang also expressed concern that some aspects of CPEC may be investigated if the next general elections in 2018 throw up an opposition party in power in Pakistan. In addition, as opposition parties are incredulous about PML-N's behind-the-scene manipulation in project negotiations, the possibility of reviewing some projects' negotiation processes and conditions cannot be ruled out if an opposition party takes power.

The article noted that Shahbaz Sharif, who is expected to be the next prime minister of Pakistan, has "built more friendly ties with the Pakistan military". This is a significant statement coming from a Chinese expert because the military is known to be watching over CPEC's implementation and suppressing any sign of opposition to it.

Nawaz Sharif supported the east route for the economic corridor covering the provinces of Punjab and Sind but opposition parties favor the west route that passes through less-developed provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, he pointed out.

"But political differences on the CPEC route will not hinder bilateral relations as no political parties in Pakistan use anti-China sentiment as political stunt and all of them are working to advance the sustainable development of China-Pakistan ties," Jiang noted.

Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is coming under mounting pressure to explain why she kept an IT aide on the payroll for months after a criminal investigation was revealed, facing calls from Republicans to testify as well as a newly filed ethics complaint.

Wasserman Schultz, the Florida congresswoman who led the Democratic National Committee until last year, terminated Imran Awan’s “part-time” employment last week, when he was arrested at Dulles International Airport trying to fly to Pakistan. He was charged with a bank fraud count. It is also believed that he may have passed sensitive information about India, which he obtained illegally , to ISI

But he and other former IT aides for House Democrats have been on investigators’ radar screen for months over concerns about possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in March, but Schultz kept him on, though he was barred from the House IT network. Many believed that she was taken in by his "smooth talk" !

A statement from the law firm, Gowen Rhoades Winograd & Silva, PLLC, also echoed some Democrats’ claims that the attention on Awan is tied to bias over his Pakistani ethnicity.“The attacks on Mr. Awan and his family began as part of a frenzy of anti-Muslim bigotry in the literal heart of our democracy, the House of Representatives,” the statement said. “… Now we have the Justice Department showing up with a complaint about disclosures on a modest real estate matter. To an extent, the situation speaks for itself.” The statement said Awan, in buying the plane ticket, was trying to see his family and not trying to “flee” the country. “[W]e are confident that Mr. Awan will soon be able to clear his name,” the statement said. Lawyers in USA are paid to defend their client - guilty or not guilty is besides the case . And that is way, they have a "special reputation" !

After Awan was arrested, Wasserman Schultz also issued a written statement: "After details of the investigation were reviewed with us, my office was provided no evidence to indicate that laws had been broken, which over time, raised troubling concerns about due process, fair treatment and potential ethnic and religious profiling. Upon learning of his arrest, he was terminated.”

Raheel Sharif was prevented from leaving Saudi Arabia by the security force of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.Security Forces of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport arrested General Raheel Sharif, the commander of the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism and the former Chief of the Pakistan Army. He planned to go back to Pakistan with flight PA275. Security forces at King Khalid International Airport confiscated the passport of General Raheel Sharif and returned him to his previous residence.It seems that after the removal of Nawaz Sharif, the army as the first action has ordered the return of Raheel Sharif to Pakistan. It should be noted that Raheel Sharif was sent to Riyadh by the order of Nawaz Sharif while the army was against this action. The plot gets murkier and murkier. If this report, which is dated July 30, 2017 is to be believed then it seems that Raheel is languishing in Ryadh, probably in some form of a house arrest . So, that would indicate that after his sojourn in La-Whore, he must have returned to his one Million + job in Saudia . An Ex COAS of Pakiland now "prevented from leaving Saudia Arabia by the "pure Arab" security forces of the Crown Prince " does not bode well for future Paki- Saudia brotherhood ! There are probably many unknowns here. And of course, there is a press clampdown on his whereabouts, etc etc . Isloo must be buzzing with all sorts of rumours

Ok, did not see this coming. This gulabo/immy fiasco just gets better and better.

Imran-Gulalai issue turns into a scandal

The issue between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and MNA Ayesha Gulalai has turned into a scandal as the series of allegations and counter-allegations continued for the second day on Thursday.

Ayesha Gulalai alleged that the party chief, Imran Khan, had hinted towards tying the knot in the texts sent to her, which also included inappropriate messages.

She added that her father had asked Imran what he wanted, but Imran dodged the question. “I am ready to sit in front of Imran and can confront him on the obnoxious messages that he sent. He put me through mental torture and pain,” said Gulalai.

She reiterated that Imran had sent her the first inappropriate message in 2013.(The dimwit had married reham khan in 2015 and divorced her ten months later)

“He should come and face me.”

Gulalai showed the alleged messages briefly to senior journalist Hamid Mir.“The messages showed to me add weightage to Ayesha Gulalai’s claims, but they should be investigated,” said Hamid Mir.

Gulalai, in a new revelation, also said PTI spokesperson Naeemul Haque had also sent her a text message.“Naeemul Haque also sent a text after sometime stating, ‘I am alone and want to marry’,” claimed Gulalai.

Here's what immy the dimmy said in response to gulabo's allegations:

The PTI chairman added that he thought Gulalai had potential and was disappointed that she had stooped to "such a level". He said there is no logic in the allegations.

"I was married for 11 years and was a bachelor otherwise. How come no one has come forward with such allegations before?"

The PTI chairman stated that Indian Prime Minister Modi’s pals would face more severe blows soon.

Watch this space. This is bound to get more interesting. Expect more dirty laundry.

On the other hand, if his party does badly in elections, expect RAPEs to fully milk it - we told you Pakistan is a tolerant, secular, liberal country onlee where less than 1% vote for religious parties.

Members of the new federal cabinet took oath at a ceremony organised at the Presidency in Islamabad on Friday morning.President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to 44 members of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's cabinet comprising mostly old faces but with some reshuffled portfolios.The cabinet comprises 28 federal ministers and 18 state ministers.

Ishaq Dar will continue as finance minister ... (The Chief Money Launderer on behalf of Ganja is remaining on the post in spite of damning evidence against him )

Khawaja Muhammad Asif, earlier the defence minister in Nawaz Sharif's government, will serve as the country’s new foreign minister. The country remained without a foreign minister after 2013 when the PML-N came into power. The last foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, was appointed by the PPP. "Fake News Fame" And "Anti-Women" Minister Asif "promoted" and given an important portfolio, (where he make have to deal with "female foreign dignitaries" )

PML-N's Hina Pervaiz Butt, also on Wednesday, submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly for Imran Khan's disqualification on the basis of Article 62 and 63 in light of Gulalai's allegations.( the "famous Sadiq and Ameen" !)

Lawyer Raja Basharat has filed a petition in the Election Commission of Pakistan,seeking Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman's disqualification. So Immy is now confronted with two new frontal attacks, on top of the ones he already faces !

Abbasi said that

in 2013, he had asked the country not to let their "mothers, daughters and sisters" attend the rallies of the PTI to "protect them from this person.

"He said Khan should be ashamed for asking Gulalai to show the messages as proof and for telling her that she is not a Pakhtun. "The daughters of the country are asking you to seek forgiveness," he maintained. Immy's and PTI Dirty Laundry being washed in public. Imran has the option of "countersuiting" !

Gulalai said that had she been greedy, she would have struck a deal with the [PTI] delegation that was allegedly being sent to her to convince her against speaking out.

She denied meeting with any member of the PML-N, adding that she hadn't taken any decision as yet about her political future. Even the Jamaatis have offered her a "political home"

"Women workers are not respected in the PTI and a respectable woman worker cannot remain in the party," she had told DawnNews. But what about Madame El .Jalebi ( the future FM in Immy's cabinet !) - is she "not respectable" and "not a woman"

Mazari alleged that Gulalai had called on Imran Khan Monday evening, along with a delegation, demanding he confirm the party ticket, which, Mazari said, was 'unacceptable' as Khan was not allowed to take unilateral decisions in this regard. To the defence of the Kaptaan

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee was told on Thursday that the government had decided to wind up the Pakistan Tex­tile City even though more than Rs2.5 billion had already been invested in the initiative.

“The company faces financial problems and its liabilities have swollen to nearly Rs5 billion during the last decade. The board of governors has decided to wind up the Textile City,” Kazim Hussain, Director General of Planning and Development, Port Qasim Authority, told the Senate committee on ports and shipping.

“The government has ordered the disposal of all assets of the company and the land transferred to the Port Qasim Authority, which leased 1,250 acres for the Textile City. The PQA shall be responsible for settling all liabilities of the company out of its own resources since it will have beneficial use of the land,” Mr Hussain told the committee members.

According to the official, the government owned 56 per cent shares while the Sindh government 16 per cent.

“Although Rs2.5 billion has already been injected into the infrastructure, no progress could be made due to unavailability of water, gas and electricity. The issue of these basic utilities could not be settled despite our best efforts. The company’s accounts have been blocked by the National Bank due to non-payment of loans,” said Mr Hussain. The company has been suffering losses of Rs 800,000 every day.

He believed that once the company became operational, it would employ more than 32,000 people directly and indirectly.

I strongly belive Pakistan must go exclusively in keeping with Islamic Ethos towards Leather and Beef industry and install Tanneries as soon as any of the Indus rivers enter its territory and give up Kaffir growing crops like rice and Mangoes.

After accusing PML-N leader Ameer Muqam and Imran Khan’s former wife Reham Khan of backing Ayesha Gulalai, PTI leader Fazal Ilahi has named Zardari among those who are behind the ‘conspiracy’ against Imran Khan. Fazal has explained that after Imran Khan targeted Asif Zardari in his Youm-e-Tashakur speech, the latter had helped Gulalai to place allegations on Imran Khan. “A team has been formed in which PML-N and PPP are working together to stop Imran Khan”, says Illahi.He further added that Reham Khan is also playing a part in this team and has a leading role. Illahi said that Ayesha is being backed by Zardari. Dus Percenti, who is conspicuously absent from this "mess" is unnecessarily being dragged in PTI's and Imran's "internal affairs"

.

PS: There is definitely a conspiracy against Immy - by the fair sex ! Reham and Gulalai are baying for his Pakhtun blood. Has an "invitation" been sent to the " Pakpattani Female Pir" to join this "exclusive club"

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has increased attempts to push terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir through the border but there is a high number of casualties on their side, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday.

Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha that the Indian Army has "domination and impact" along the western border and all steps have been taken to check infiltration from across the border.

"Pakistan has increased efforts of infiltration," he said during Question Hour.

Jaitely said due to the heightened vigil of the security forces, many infiltration attempts have been foiled and infiltration has come down.

"There is record high in the casualties on the other side," he said.

There have been 285 incidents of ceasefire violation so far this year through the LoC compared to 228 such incidents in the entire 2016 along the LoC in which eight people had lost their lives, Jaitley said.

He said there were 221 ceasefire violation along the International Border which is guarded by both the Border Security Force and the Army.

Replying to another question, the minister said the Army has constructed an anti-infiltration obstacle system (AIOS) along the Line of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, under its operational control.

Radars, sensors and thermal imagers along with surveillance have been incorporated on this fence to detect and intercept infiltration by terrorists.

The AIOS is further strengthened by deployment of troops and construction of defence works based on threat perception for an effective multi-tiered counter-infiltration grid.

"Fortification of border is a continuous process. Anti-infiltration steps like obstacle systems, technical gadgets have been installed by the Army and enough steps have been taken to check infiltration," he said.

Jaitely said the government regularly reviews the threat perception to secure the borders and protect national interests.

"Appropriate measures are taken from time-to-time to maintain and upgrade the country's defence preparedness along the border to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of India," the minister said.

Further, the areas along the borders are kept under surveillance by regular patrolling by troops and other aerial, optronic and electronic means.

"Appropriate retaliation to the ceasefire violations and other tactical incidents by Pakistan Army, as required, is carried out by Indian Army. All the forward posts are adequately strengthened to withstand enemy fire. Besides, there are well-established standard operating procedures (SOPs) to safeguard against enemy fire to minimise own casualties," Jaitley said.

He said the government is taking measures to ensure modernisation of Indian defence forces to keep them in a state of readiness to meet operational and security challenges.

"This is being achieved by inducting new equipment, technologically upgrading existing equipment and systems, training etc. It will not be in the national interests to divulge further details," he said.

On August 17, 1988, US ambassador John Gunther Dean was alone in his office in Delhi when the phone rang.

The phone call was from Joint Secretary Ronen Sen who handled all sensitive communications and intelligence in the office of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Ronen and Dean worked closely, often coordinating on issues of interest on a daily basis.

On that day in August 1988, Dean did not expect anything untoward to happen between India and the US, and a call or meeting with Ronen was not on the cards.

But, across the border, nearly 680 kilometres from Delhi, inside Pakistan, dramatic developments were taking place that were to change South Asia and Dean's life forever.

Ronen Sen was calm as he told the American ambassador to New Delhi that he had just been informed that Pak One, the presidential aircraft of Pakistan, had crashed.

Dean trusted his source, but felt the news was incredible, because he knew well that an air crash killing the Pakistani president in suspicious circumstances could immediately trigger another India-Pakistan war.

Within minutes, Sen was back with confirmation: Zia's aircraft had crashed.

And Zia was not alone in that aircraft. He was accompanied by almost the entire top brass of the intelligence and armed forces of Pakistan.

Dean says that, during those calls, Sen also told him that Indian satellites had filmed the final moments of the air crash.

Sen had the resources to eavesdrop on Pakistan's sensitive communications in 'real time'.

He was the coordinator of India's secret agencies, who had to go through his office whenever the prime minister wanted a briefing.In the first four years of Rajiv Gandhi's premiership, India's Research and Analysis Wing and Military Intelligence underwent extensive changes and Pakistani leaders did not know that listeners across the border could get 'live' inputs on the developments inside Pakistan.

As electronic surveillance intercepted communications at the Pakistan military establishment's headquarters in Rawalpindi, Sen received updates every minute.

ISLAMABAD - Given the current rate of influx of Chinese nationals into Balochistan and after the completion of the CPEC the native population of the area will be outnumbered by 2048. Will the GOP "facilitate" conjugal visits for the "Chini guest workers" in the "deserts of Balochistan"

To address the concern of the Baloch citizens regarding marginalisation, the government should provide a sense of security to the natives by including them in the legislative process, and by providing them with technical and vocational training to ensure their share in the economic sphere, recommended a report launched by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). The proud Baloch are not going to be a party "to the selling of their land " . So this "recommendation" should not be welcome . !

The report was launched by FPCCI President Rauf Alam at a press conference here on Wednesday.Alam said the government could not separate the representations of the private sector and the main stakeholder of the economy from formulation of a policy regarding the CPEC.He said the FPCCI had constituted an advisory committee on the CPEC, which prepared a comprehensive report.Alam said the advisory committee on the CPEC had categorised all the ambiguities and controversial argument in six statements. The Baloch should not be taken in by these so-called pretensions of "open discussion" by the Agents of the Deep State . !

It is quite obvious that ethnic patterns of population distribution will be affected by the inflow of people from China and other parts of Pakistan, the report said. The report said conservatively 0.44 persons per thousand migrate from china because of economic reasons that corroborates the inflow of more than 600,000 people per year in Pakistan after operating the CPEC. At present Balochis are 55 per cent of the total population of Balochistan.The current growth rate of Balochistan’s population is 2.36 per cent.This growth in population is the composition of crude birth rate, death rate and migration of the people in Balochistan from other provinces of Pakistan. Pakistan is a conservative Islamic State. How is the Islam Brigade going to re-act to the influx of atheistic Chinis invading The Land Lund Of The Pure!

[/b]

The report recommended that in granting the incentives to Chinese investors and enterprises, the policy makers must not ignore the Pakistani investors.The FPCCI has demanded to grant the same incentives to Pakistani businessmen as being provided to the foreign investors, and protection of the interests of the residents of Balochistan and Gwadar in specific through legislation.Alam said the FPCCI also proposed to the government to give complete management of the economic zones under the CPEC to the private sector. The FPCCI has its own agenda!. It is pleading with the "Deep State" not to grant "preferential treatment" to the Chinis at the cost of local management .

Madam, do you know?1. Supreme Court has disqualified Nawaz Sharif, for life, as PM (public office) and as the Chairman (N).2. (N) is registered in Nawaz Sharif's name. 3. Hence, (N) League does not exist any more as a political party.4. A disqualified Chairman and political party can not nominate new PM. 5. Nomination and of cabinet ministers is, thus, illegal.

Therefore, we ask you to change your loyalty, while there is time. No point being stubborn.

ISLAMABAD: Rapid depletion of ground water may soon create worsening water crisis in Pakistan’s major cities, causing a drought-like situation, said chief of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Muhammad Ashraf on Thursday.

Stressing the need for urgent steps to avert such a crisis, he said: “Such measures need to be taken on a war footing … otherwise, a large section of Pakistan’s population, especially those living in Karachi, Quetta, Lahore and Islamabad, will face severe water shortages,” Ashraf told The Express Tribune after the concluding session of a sub-regional meeting of experts on groundwater management here.

The meeting was organised by PCRWR in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF) to discuss the alarming water situation not only in Pakistan but elsewhere in the region and its potential impacts.

Experts attending the meeting will try to outline strategies for sustainable groundwater management in the region, particularly in Pakistan.

“In Pakistan, the water quality as well as its quantity are major issues, especially in major cities such as Karachi, Quetta, Lahore and even in Islamabad,” said Ashraf, adding that rapid population growth, urbanisation, deforestation and lack of awareness about the importance of water are major causes for the emergence of this crisis.

Experts expressed concern over the alarming water situation in the region and agreed that if even a single town in any of these countries was facing an acute water shortage, it was a major threat to the entire region.

Dr Shahbaz Khan, the Regional Director of UNESCO’s Jakarta office, stressed the need for a plan for development, devising new policies and regulations for net recharge management, for enhancing water productivity by doubling crop yields and halving input of groundwater, making Pakistan a regional agricultural power.

Vibeke Jensen, the Director of UNESCO Islamabad, said that an effective groundwater management in the regional context was crucial for Agenda 2030.

Fazal Abbas Maken, Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that availability, accessibility and affordability of clean water on sustainable basis were essential for the region.

“Water management is a trans-disciplinary issue and can be solved by involving all stakeholders and also by educating the end users,” he added.

After accusing PML-N leader Ameer Muqam and Imran Khan’s former wife Reham Khan of backing Ayesha Gulalai, PTI leader Fazal Ilahi has named Zardari among those who are behind the ‘conspiracy’ against Imran Khan. Fazal has explained that after Imran Khan targeted Asif Zardari in his Youm-e-Tashakur speech, the latter had helped Gulalai to place allegations on Imran Khan. “A team has been formed in which PML-N and PPP are working together to stop Imran Khan”, says Illahi.He further added that Reham Khan is also playing a part in this team and has a leading role. Illahi said that Ayesha is being backed by Zardari. Dus Percenti, who is conspicuously absent from this "mess" is unnecessarily being dragged in PTI's and Imran's "internal affairs"

.

PS: There is definitely a conspiracy against Immy - by the fair sex ! Reham and Gulalai are baying for his Pakhtun blood. Has an "invitation" been sent to the " Pakpattani Female Pir" to join this "exclusive club"

Bat bat I thought it was only Imran khan behind gulali...........poor gulali. With so many heavy weights behind her...........no wonder there is trouble.

SLAMABAD: Pakistan is among South Asian countries that are at high risk of being hit by intense heat by the end of this century that will ultimately make human survival difficult in the region.A study based on computer simulations by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has made startling revelations about the impact of climate change on South Asian countries by 2100, which includes Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.“If climate change continues at its current pace, deadly heat waves beginning in the next few decades will strike parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh… heat waves across South Asia in the summer of 2015 killed an estimated 3,500 people and similar events will become more frequent and intense,” according to the international researchers.The day is not too far when extreme weather due to climate change will have horrible impact on the economy, agriculture, water availability and human in this country. We did not even learn any lesson from intense heat wave that hit Karachi in 2015” and claimed more than a thousand lives.Rasul, who is also chief of the Pakistan Meteorological department (PMD), said: “Even our local researches have projected that in the near future, it will be difficult to live in Pakistan mainly due to extreme weather events that will also trigger worst water crisis.”He said even this year, from April onwards maximum temperatures set a new record in different parts of Pakistan.

Turbat reported a temperature of 54 degrees on May 28, and according to WMO spokeswoman Claire Nullis the hottest place on Earth appears to be the town of Turbat in southwestern Pakistan, which reported a temperature of 54 degrees Celsius in May.Rasul said in every year the frequency and intensity of heat wave is increasing in Pakistan.“Under the impact of climate change, summer is extending, winter is squeezing and spring is vanishing from Pakistan,” he said.He believed that major causes behind the worsening situation are rapid urbanisation, population growth and deforestation among others.“Pakistan is currently not capable enough of tackling the alarming situation and, if timely measures are not taken, then it would further worsen the situation,” he warned.Heat in South Asia could reach ‘unsurvivable’ levels by 2100Former Pak-EPA Director-General Asif Shuja said the study carried out by Eltahir indicated rise of wet bulb temperature by year 2100 in Pakistan and other countries of South Asia.“Pakistan has seen a rise of average 0.60 degree centigrade from year 1800 to 2000 – the highest rise was in the Balochistan and Sindh areas,” he added.“The government should show some seriousness in strengthening the institutions concerned and provide them with adequate resources to cater for extreme whether events, before it gets too late,” he warned.

KARACHI: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has said that Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) case where they have demanded compensation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not honouring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is weak.

The 72-year-old has claimed that his sources in the ICC have told him that the chances of India paying any compensation to Pakistan are meek.

“[Najam] Sethi made a big mistake by signing the agreement with the Indian board,” said Mani. “He should show the agreement to everyone. Let’s see if it contains the clause of compensation. All I can say is, as told by my sources in the ICC, PCB’s case is weak against BCCI. The chances of BCCI paying compensation to the PCB are meek.”

In the recently held PCB’s Board of Governors (BoG) Slang for Scheisse Haus meeting, the last under Chairman Shaharyar Khan, it was decided that the Pakistan board will pursue a legal case against BCCI for not playing the agreed bilateral series. For this purpose, Rs1.5 billion were also approved by the BoG.

“It will be a waste of money,” commented Mani on PCB’s move. “Also, fighting doesn’t resolve any issue. PCB should find a middle way. BCC enjoys a lot of control in international cricket, they will eventually bring every country on their side and Pakistan will be left alone.”

He added that Pakistan need to come up with an effective strategy. “India have always rued government’s disapproval of a series, but cricket never stopped between the two countries. So if they come up with the right strategy, the problem can be solved.”

Pakistan’s diminishing stature in ICC

Mani believes Pakistan historically enjoyed respectable stature in the ICC but now they have lost their voice in the world body.

“Pakistan cricket is facing international isolation,” said Mani. “Things were different in the past; we used to have our say in the ICC. Pakistan had representation in the all ICC committees, but now we have lost our voice in the council. We don’t have any referee in the ICC panel; meanwhile, Aleem Dar is the only umpire in the ICC elite umpire’s list. No one is there to help our umpires and referees get enlisted in the ICC panels because the higher officials don’t understand the system.”

Staggeringly big workforce

Mani also seemed flabbergasted by the PCB workforce which he deems is unnecessary.

Sethi named among Board of Governors – Scheisse Haus - again

“Nearly 20-25 people managed the PCB in the past but now they have a workforce of several hundred,” he said. “The officials spend a lot of money; PCB should publish their account details on the website. They should tell the people how much money the officials have spent.”

Mani, who was also Pakistan’s representative in the ICC from 1989 till 1996, said that he was offered to become a part of the PCB by Shahayar and Sethi but he refused on the grounds that he can’t work until and unless he can enjoy full authority in his position.

In the recently held PCB’s Board of Governors (BoG) Slang for Scheisse Haus meeting, the last under Chairman Shaharyar Khan, it was decided that the Pakistan board will pursue a legal case against BCCI for not playing the agreed bilateral series. For this purpose, Rs1.5 billion were also approved by the BoG.

We have all been playing Panama and doing nothing else for the past 15 months. And while we were playing Panama and doing nothing else, the economy fell off the cliff. Italy has been changing its prime minister as often as one changes a pair of socks. And Japan has been no different. But their economies do not fall off the cliff. Why? Because their economic decision-making has been institutionalised. Ours is not. When a Pakistani prime minister gets into trouble, the entire governmental paraphernalia abandons each and every one of its responsibilities and jumps into politicking. The results are for all of us to see.

Trade deficit: Never in Pakistan’s history have we imported goods and services worth a whopping $52 billion. Never in Pakistan’s history have our exports declined in the way that they have over the past six years. Never in Pakistan’s history have we had a colossal trade deficit worth $32 billion. Now we must beg, borrow or steal to bridge the deficit (A trade deficit is the “amount by which the cost of a country’s imports exceeds the value of its exports”).

Should we readjust the rupee-dollar parity? Should we continue with our failed policy of import substitution? How do we plan to finance a trade deficit worth $32 billion? The current import-export scenario is definitely not sustainable. The bomb is ticking and will explode sooner than we think. Who will decide it all?

Budget deficit: On this count, we have been deceiving ourselves like never before. The Ministry of Finance claims that the deficit is worth Rs1.5 trillion. We know that the FBR is holding back genuine refunds of Rs300 billion. We know that the government owes the IPP sector a sum of over Rs400 billion. We know that the FBR forces taxpayers to pay advance taxes. We know that the so-called state-owned enterprises – PIA, Pakistan Steel and Pakistan Railways – loose a few hundred billion a year every year.

Yes, the government has been trying to hide a trillion-rupee deficit that is out there like an elephant in the room. Yes, the deficit is around eight percent of the GDP (the government claims it is half of that). To be certain, the current revenue-expenditure scenario is definitely not sustainable. The bomb is ticking and will explode sooner than we think. Who will decide what to do?

Debt: In 1971 – a mere 46 years ago – our national debt stood at Rs30 billion. Lo and behold, our national debt has since soared to Rs22,000 billion. We are indebted like never before. Over the past four years, the government has obtained $35 billion in new foreign loans ($17 billion of new loans were used to pay back old loans). And that is in addition to Rs3 trillion in new loans raised in the domestic market.

Lo and behold, the only thing that the Ministry of Finance has done is change the definition of national debt. Yes, “illusion is the first of all pleasure”.

The out-of-control trade deficit has consequences. The out-of-control budgetary deficit has consequences. The out-of-control national debt has consequences. And these consequences would have to borne by generations to come. Yes, our economic security – which has long been the neglected element of our national security – is under serious threat.

Here's a new one. From an old, faded die hard baki. (after all, it's all about HS&D)

Boycott India in ICC events, Miandad tells PCB

Miandad said it was time Pakistan took a strong stance on cricket ties with India

Miandad said it was useless begging India to play bilateral cricket

He said the international cricket community will also realise the injustice being done to Pakistan cricket by the Indians

it was time Pakistan took a strong stance on cricket ties with India keeping in mind national interest and pride.

It is time we responded with bricks to stones(eent ka jawab patthar se, in reverse)

I think when we don't play India in ICC events and the ICC suffers financial losses and their events lose significance and colour, only than we will be treated with respect and we will be heard on a equal level at any forum

Miandad noted that India and Pakistan were both equal members of the ICC executive board and yet the other members had not accepted that injustice is being done to Pakistan.(Hain? So cutting off your nose to spite your face would do the trick?)

Legendary Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad has called on the PCB to boycott matches against India in ICC events.

The veteran of 124 Tests, who also coached the national team thrice, said it was time Pakistan took a strong stance on cricket ties with India keeping in mind national interest and pride.

“It is time we responded with bricks to stones. There is no need for us to play with India at any forum if they are not willing to restore bilateral ties {Is he talking about political or cricketing ties?}. We should also boycott playing against them in all ICC events,” he said.

Miandad said it was useless begging India to play bilateral cricket.

“I think when we don’t play India in ICC events and the ICC suffers financial losses and their events lose significance and colour, only than we will be treated with respect and we will be heard on a equal level at any forum,” he said.

He said the international cricket community will also realise the injustice being done to Pakistan cricket by the Indians.

Miandad noted that India and Pakistan were both equal members of the ICC executive board and yet the other members had not accepted that injustice is being done to Pakistan.

“If the ICC board is not able to convince India to change its stance why should they expect us to play in the ICC events with India?” he asked.

The former captain felt the PCB was only going to waste valuable money by taking its compensation claim to the ICC disputes resolution committee.

“The same money, 100 crores rupees or more, can be pumped into our cricket infrastructure because no one will listen to us as India is very influential and strong in the ICC level. I see it as a waste of time and money,” Miandad said.

Miandad said the Indians had taken full advantage of Pakistan’s fluid stance and the biggest mistake was to go to India in 2012 and play the short limited over series there.

“We called it a good gesture but they took advantage of it and earned millions and in return we got nothing {The shows that the Hindus have small hearts and even smaller limbs compared to the Pakistani mard-e-momin} . And our failure to take a strong policy decision on ties with India has resulted in embarrassment for us many times,” he said.

He said country’s pride and respect should be given top priority now and Pakistan must not run after India to play any series.

“Boycott them in ICC events. Take a stance and see what will happen. We have nothing to lose,” Miandad said.

SLAMABAD: Pakistan is among South Asian countries that are at high risk of being hit by intense heat by the end of this century that will ultimately make human survival difficult in the region.A study based on computer simulations by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has made startling revelations about the impact of climate change on South Asian countries by 2100, which includes Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.“If climate change continues at its current pace, deadly heat waves beginning in the next few decades will strike parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh… heat waves across South Asia in the summer of 2015 killed an estimated 3,500 people and similar events will become more frequent and intense,” according to the international researchers.The day is not too far when extreme weather due to climate change will have horrible impact on the economy, agriculture, water availability and human in this country. We did not even learn any lesson from intense heat wave that hit Karachi in 2015” and claimed more than a thousand lives.Rasul, who is also chief of the Pakistan Meteorological department (PMD), said: “Even our local researches have projected that in the near future, it will be difficult to live in Pakistan mainly due to extreme weather events that will also trigger worst water crisis.”He said even this year, from April onwards maximum temperatures set a new record in different parts of Pakistan.

Turbat reported a temperature of 54 degrees on May 28, and according to WMO spokeswoman Claire Nullis the hottest place on Earth appears to be the town of Turbat in southwestern Pakistan, which reported a temperature of 54 degrees Celsius in May.Rasul said in every year the frequency and intensity of heat wave is increasing in Pakistan.“Under the impact of climate change, summer is extending, winter is squeezing and spring is vanishing from Pakistan,” he said.He believed that major causes behind the worsening situation are rapid urbanisation, population growth and deforestation among others.“Pakistan is currently not capable enough of tackling the alarming situation and, if timely measures are not taken, then it would further worsen the situation,” he warned.Heat in South Asia could reach ‘unsurvivable’ levels by 2100Former Pak-EPA Director-General Asif Shuja said the study carried out by Eltahir indicated rise of wet bulb temperature by year 2100 in Pakistan and other countries of South Asia.“Pakistan has seen a rise of average 0.60 degree centigrade from year 1800 to 2000 – the highest rise was in the Balochistan and Sindh areas,” he added.“The government should show some seriousness in strengthening the institutions concerned and provide them with adequate resources to cater for extreme whether events, before it gets too late,” he warned.

Yep. Canada has so much land and big heart. Canada has to invite all Bakistani to shit there.

uly 24, 2017: Pakistan is at war with itself over corruption and a military leadership that has its own aggressive foreign policy that directly threatens neighboring countries and Pakistanis alike. Most Pakistanis want to change but cannot. The United States, Afghanistan and India are all being more aggressive in dealing with the lies, deception and violence sent their way by the Pakistani generals. The basic problem in Pakistan is that no one is really in charge. The military can, and regularly does, overthrow the elected government if the generals fear their power is under real threat. That means agreements with foreign countries are only valid if both the generals and elected officials agree.

This is complicated by the fact that the Pakistani military has developed their own independent (of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry) foreign policy. Wealthy Arab oil states are willing to make something of this, because they understand that the Pakistani generals are without scruples and will do just about anything to preserve their power and wealth. That involves making secret deals with other nations and that apparently includes Iran, many Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf, Russia and whoever is willing to do business with them.

While Pakistan has always (since it was created, along with modern India, in 1947) been a democracy, it did not ensure that its military would always be subservient to civilian control. The Indians take care of this. But in Pakistan the military became autonomous, corrupt and powerful enough to do whatever it liked. Although the defense spending only takes about 2.7 percent of GDP the military, mainly the senior officers, actually take at least twice that because many items (like the huge retirement benefits for officers and ownership of many commercial companies) are not officially listed as defense expenditures. Thus the Pakistani military has come to be known as “an army with a country” instead of the other way around. The elected leaders of Pakistan have not been able to gain control over their own military despite increasingly vigorous efforts to do so.

Recently there have been an increasing number of rumors, media stories and threatening denials from the military about the growing demands (from elected officials and the general public) that the military finally submit to civilian control. The generals still hint that there might be another military takeover but that is less likely than in the past. The last period of military government (1999 to 2008) did not go well for the generals. As is often the case after a coup the military gradually lost a lot of power and influence inside Pakistan. This time it was worse because the Internet allowed for many more media outlets in Pakistan to distribute news of military misbehavior. The Internet also made it much more difficult for the government to control the news. Thus until quite recently evil acts by the military were getting a lot of publicity, which greatly reduced popular support for the military. More and more journalism was coming from unidentified amateurs. The Taliban and the military both have death squads hunting down journalists who are seen as "unhelpful" but this did not stop the criticism as it had it the past, at least not at first. Complicating all this is a growing anti-corruption movement and much less popular support for military governments worldwide. Since Pakistan was created in 1947, half the time the country has been ruled by generals who took over "for the good of the country." That no longer flies and the generals began looking for another way to safeguard their wealth (gained largely via corruption) and privileges (also mostly illegal) from growing public wrath. A widely popular 2014 offensive against Islamic terrorists who stage attacks inside Pakistan was the key to making the military more popular and that made it possible to more effectively threaten and silence a lot of media criticism inside Pakistan. That situation didn’t last as Pakistani generals can see that their power has been on a gradual and unstoppable decline for more than a decade. The growing international criticism of the military corruption in Pakistan is yet another setback the military many not recover from.

Signs of the international blowback are more obvious. The Americans are withholding military aid. In 2016 the U.S. was willing to pay up to $900 million in such reimbursements but has only paid $550 million. Pakistan can retaliate by blocking road access to Afghanistan but this escalation ultimately fails for Pakistan because the only major ally they have is China and the Chinese have made it very clear that they will not join Pakistan in such an escalation. China is more concerned with the Pakistani ability to protect that thousands of Chinese coming into Pakistan each year to build new infrastructure projects. Pakistan has over 100,000 soldiers and police dedicated to the security of these Chinese and their growing number of work sites. There are still thousands of Islamic terrorists inside Pakistan who see the Chinese as a legitimate target.

Meanwhile Afghanistan and India are more aggressively fighting back at the Pakistan sponsored terrorism sent their way. This has turned India and Afghanistan into allies, which infuriates the Pakistani military. It is telling that while Pakistan supports terror against India every other Moslem nation in the region (especially Iran and Bangladesh) regards non-Moslem India as someone they can get along with. Pakistan, despite sharing a long border with Iran, is considered more troublesome and less reliable than India. Bangladesh used to be part of Pakistan but rebelled in the 1970s and despite savage reprisals from the Pakistanis, achieved independence and continue to hold Pakistan responsible for those atrocities. Pakistan has always denied the Indian, Afghan and Bangladeshi accusations but now the United States is becoming more forceful in demanding that Pakistan stop lying and terrorizing its neighbors and threating the world. All this came to a head recently in the UN where many nations, especially Afghanistan, and India, openly demanded that Pakistan stop supporting Islamic terrorist groups, particularly those that specialize in terrorizing neighbors. The Pakistan military, which always portrays itself as a victim, responded by up increasing violence along the Indian border, blaming it all on India, and risking a nuclear war because India, unlike Afghanistan, has nukes. Meanwhile Afghanistan, Iran and India are developing new trade routes that will ignore Pakistan. A growing number of Pakistanis agree with the demands expressed in the UN and are seeking to reduce the political power of the Pakistani military, which was key in creating the use of Islamic terrorists to attack neighbors.

The Pakistani Border Campaign

In northwest India (northeast Pakistan) Kashmir border violence continues to spiral out of control. This is mainly about the Pakistani military needing to create a military crisis with India as part of an effort to silence criticism of them inside Pakistan. Kashmir border violence incidents are leading to more casualties in Indian Kashmir with Islamic terror related deaths set to be double what they were in 2016 and reaching levels (nearly 400 a year) not seen since 2010.

Although Pakistan instigates most of these incidents they almost always declare that any Indian return fire was what really started. This scam has been documented often but the Pakistani military knows that if they just deny it that will work inside Pakistan, where they have terrorized most of the journalists into submission.

For India this means Islamic terrorist and separatist violence in Kashmir has been increasing since 2015. In 2016 there were about twenty terrorism related deaths a month in Kashmir and it is about the same so far in 2017. Because of the increased Pakistani aggression in Kashmir 2016 was also the first time Pakistan suffered fewer terrorism incidents than India. Last year Iraq was first with nearly 3,000 attacks while Afghanistan was second with nearly 1,400. Then came India with nearly a thousand and Pakistan with about 700. Pakistan has benefitted from cracking down (since mid-2014) on local Islamic terror groups that carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially those that attack the government and military. But two things haven’t changed. First most of the attacks in India have nothing to do with Islamic terrorism but are the result of leftist or tribal rebels in eastern and northeastern India. Most importantly, adjusted for population Pakistan still suffers more than four times as many attacks as India. Moreover the attacks in India killed far fewer people because most had nothing to do with Islamic terrorism, which concentrates on killing as many people as possible (and nearly all of them Moslems). Overall attacks in India killed over 80 percent fewer people than those involving Islamic terrorism. Meanwhile Pakistan proclaims (internally) that the increased border violence in Kashmir is a great achievement against archenemy India. Despite all that effort deaths in Indian Kashmir are down in July although so far this year it looks like 2017 will see at least a third more deaths in Kashmir than in 2016. All that mainly to help protect corruption in the Pakistani military.

The Panama Threat

Currently the Pakistani Supreme Court is deliberating the extent to which Pakistani government officials (military and elected) will be treated in light of the Panama Papers revelations that linked most senior officials and many senior officers or their families to secret offshore bank accounts. Many Pakistani elected officials (including prime minister Nawaz Sharif) are under pressure to resign but that won’t happen until the Supreme Court releases its ruling, which is expected any day now. When details went public the military promptly dismissed many officers who were identified in the Panama Papers. Most of the officers dismissed had worked on border security and apparently cooperated with the drug and took bribes to help get the opium and heroin into Pakistan (and then to the world via the port of Karachi). Bribes were also used to get industrial chemicals into Afghanistan so the opium could be refined into heroin. Many politicians, including the prime minister, have also been discovered to have Panama Paper links but these are insisting they are innocent. This is all rather recent because the Panama Papers (over 11 million leaked documents showing details of secret, and often illegal, offshore bank accounts) became available in early 2016 in the more corrupt nations, like Pakistan, had quite an impact.

There is a growing anti-corruption movement in Pakistan but the corruption is so extensive that it is believed a minority of senior government and military officials are not corrupt. Many of the politicians identified in the Panama Papers come from wealthy families and can make a case for the offshore accounts not containing any money stolen from the government. But for government employees subsisting on a government salary, details of large fortunes hidden away in foreign banks is hard to explain away.

India and Western nations were alarmed that some of the Pakistani officers dismissed because of the Panama Papers revelation were associated with the nuclear weapons program. Moreover some ISI and army officers believe that such corruption was patriotic because some of the drug money they received went to fund the “black budget” (money used to support Islamic terrorism operations that the military wanted no paper trail connecting them to).

The military has long claimed that it was above the courts. But that assertion has eroded over the decades and this time the army arguments may fail completely. This would be a major change because as recently as 2012 t he head of the Pakistani army openly warned the Supreme Court to not threaten the authority of the military. Pakistani army lawyers had recently rejected a Supreme Court order that two retired generals be tried for vote fraud in the 1990 elections. This was seen as the army defying the authority of the courts and insisting that the army was above the constitution and control by an elected government. Since the army has more men with guns, who are willing to use those weapons to defy democracy, the army has always prevailed. Since 2001 the army has also increased the pay and benefits for lower ranking soldiers, to ensure loyalty in cases like this. The officers, especially the higher ranking ones, have always been well treated. The army insists on receiving a large chunk of the national wealth. All this has become more widely known and the generals are being more careful with their public image, as the lower ranking troops are increasingly siding with the civilian voters. Despite these efforts the stature and authority of the military has declined year by year.

Sikkim Standoff

For the first time since 2008 another ancient and unresolved border dispute between China and India escalated. This is taking place in northeastern India where Sikkim State borders China to the north, Bhutan to the east and Nepal to the west. Sikkim is small (7,100 square kilometers) and has a population of less than 700,000. East of Bhutan is the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims most of. China claims smaller bits of Bhutan and Sikkim. The problem with Sikkim is that it was an independent monarchy until 1975 when the king allowed a referendum on joining India, which won. China protested Sikkim becoming part of India in part because of the border disputes China long had with independent Sikkim. The current incident began in mid-June when China began building a road into Bhutan that was seen as part of a Chinese effort to threaten the Siliguri Corridor (a 22 kilometer wide strip of land between China and Bangladesh that connects northeast India to the rest of India). India had agreed to help Bhutan oppose Chinese efforts to just grab the disputed area (which is 3,000 meters up on a plateau that has no real value to anyone). China and India had signed an agreement in 2012 to respect the existing Bhutan border. But like most Chinese territorial claims revived recently incidents like this serve to make the Chinese government look like it is “serving the people” (who cannot choose their leaders because China is a communist police state) and are carried out at little cost in lives or money. So thousands of Chinese and Indian troops have been moved to this inhospitable part of the world because the Chinese government wants some good publicity inside China.

July 22, 2017: In northwest Pakistan (Khyber) the army reported they had completed regaining control of the Rajgal Valley near the Afghan border. This operation began on July 16th and involved clearing 250 square kilometers of remote hills and forests of Islamic terror group camps, especially the ones being used by ISIL to move men and equipment between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The last phase of this operation involved using special operations troops to kill or chase away Islamic terrorists camped out at the highest point in the area; Brekh Top. For the Pakistanis casualties were kept low by using a lot of airpower (for surveillance and smart bomb attacks) and artillery. This was technically part of the massive anti-terrorism campaign that began in mid-2014 in North Waziristan and was scheduled to end at the end of 2017. For the last year most of the air and ground action has been in adjacent tribal areas like Khyber. The campaign that began in North Waziristan involved heavy use of F-16s, helicopter gunships and army artillery. The air force also provided pretty good aerial reconnaissance. To keep friendly casualties down ground troops did little attacking and spent most of their time manning checkpoints on the borders of North Waziristan and mounted regular patrols along those borders. Despite this those borders still provided many opportunities for people to sneak past the troops. Most of the North Waziristan border is with Afghanistan and that was not as tightly guarded, which made it relatively easy for Islamic terrorists to hike across the border to villages that are hospitable to Pakistani Islamic terrorists. Pakistan was mainly interested in clearing out any Islamic terrorists hostile to Pakistan and that has largely been accomplished. About 5,000 people died so far in this three year old campaign, 90 percent of them Islamic terrorists (although some of these were civilian bystanders) and the rest the security forces, mainly soldiers. Over a million civilians fled the fighting and only about half have returned home so far. Pakistan shares details of these operations with Afghanistan, the United States and China. However Afghanistan points out that there is no way to confirm details of what Pakistan claims to have accomplished in operations like this and often the result, on the Afghan side, are often not detectable.

July 21, 2017: The United States is withholding a $50 million reimbursement (for counter-terror operations) to Pakistan because Pakistan has refused to shut down sanctuaries for the Haqqani Network in Pakistan. The Americans have evidence of Haqqani still operating in Pakistan which the Pakistanis are unable to explain.

In Kashmir Indian border police found 66 kg (146 pounds) of heroin hidden in a truckload of Pakistani sugar. Some trade is allowed across this border but because Pakistani gangs control most of the heroin smuggling from Afghanistan to the rest of the world, any cargo coming from Pakistan is subject to search.

July 20, 2017: India turned down the Chinese offer to mediate the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. China also has territorial claims on Kashmir and is a close ally of Pakistan.

Afghanistan criticized Pakistan for making a big deal about attacking Haqqani Network and Afghan Taliban bases on the Pakistani side of the border but ignoring similar bases in Baluchistan (Quetta) and the Pakistani capital (Islamabad).

July 19, 2017: The U.S. has provided Pakistan with fifty Fido X3 explosives detectors as part of more than a decade of assistance in dealing with Islamic terrorism. While a lot of the aid has been stolen the Pakistanis are quite serious about halting Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan and appreciate getting modern equipment with a known track record in the West. In the past corrupt security officials have been known to buy useless explosives detectors because such deals provided huge bribes to the purchasing officials.

July 18, 2017: Air India wants to start flying directly from India (Delhi) to Israel but Israel objects to flights passing over Pakistan because if the aircraft had any problems it would have to make an emergency landing in Pakistan and Israeli citizens would be subject to abuse, even kidnapping, by the Pakistanis. But using a direct route that avoids Pakistan makes the flights longer and more expensive.

July 15, 2017: In the southwest on the Iran border someone (described only as “foreign terrorists”) in Pakistan fired machine-guns and several mortar shells into Iran, wounding two civilians. Iranian forces immediately returned fire killing one of the terrorists and wounding two others. The rest of the terrorists (apparently Iranian Baluchi rebels) retreated further into Pakistan.

July 14, 2017: A senior Facebook executive met with the Pakistani Interior Ministry to discuss Pakistan demands that Facebook monitor and censor Facebook posts that Pakistani law considers blasphemous against Islam, especially if the message was posted by one of the 33 million Pakistani Facebook users. Such actions are a capital crime in Pakistan and a Pakistani Facebook user was recently sentenced to death for such a post.

July 12, 2017: Indian and Burmese military commanders are again trying to develop better ways to improve security along their 1,600 kilometer common border. Tribal rebels in northeast India continue to set up camps on the Burmese side of the border and from there carry out attacks inside India. Most of the border is in remote, thinly populated areas and since 2012 India and Burma have been cooperating a lot more to share information on what is happening along their common border. The most common problem on the border is smugglers, especially those moving weapons or illegal drugs. Burma is planning to build a fence along this border, not so much to block illegal crossings but simply to mark it.

July 8, 2017: In the southwest Iranian border guards fired three rockets across the border into Pakistan (Baluchistan).

July 7, 2017: The president of India completed a three day visit to Israel. This was a historic first because an Indian head-of-state had never visited Israel before. Aside from the symbolism, India announced more trade deals with Israel, which has become a major military supplier for India. Thus among the trade deals was an Indian order for the Israeli Iron Dome anti-rocket/artillery system (which would be very useful in Kashmir). This visit marked the official end of 70 years of India deferring to its Moslem population (which is larger than that of Pakistan) and decades of close ties with Moslem states at the expense of good relations with Israel. Israel offered India help dealing with Islamic terrorists that Pakistan began using aggressively against India in the 1990s. India noted that Israel was a major supplier of military equipment worldwide and was especially good when it came to border security and dealing with Islamic terrorism. The alliance between Israel and India has grown stronger since 2001 and now India is quite open about it. There are more and more signs of shifts in long-established alliances involving Israel.

July 4, 2017: In the northwest, just across the Afghan border (in Nangarhar province) an airstrike killed three ISIL men, two of whom were later identified as Pakistani. The Afghans complain that this is a common occurrence and Pakistan even allows the return of these dead Pakistanis to their families in Pakistan.

After two weeks of deliberation Afghan leaders agreed to a Pakistani proposal that the two nations run joint-military patrols along their common border and cooperate more closely in halting illegal cross-border activity. Afghanistan was wary of this proposal until assured by American officials that the U.S. was also skeptical and would be monitoring Pakistani compliance closely.

June 28, 2017: Afghanistan accused Pakistan of supplying the Afghan Taliban with heavy weapons (mortars and rockets) on the Pakistani side of the border. Such weapons have been detected inside Afghanistan and the Afghans have plenty of evidence.

June 23, 2017: In Pakistan three major Islamic terror attacks (in Quetta, Parachinar and Karachi) left more than 90 dead and at least 300 wounded. Pakistan blamed Afghanistan, accusing them of tolerating Pakistani Taliban camped out in eastern Afghanistan, especially Kunar province. Afghanistan has, f0r years, pointed out that these camps are in remote, sparsely populated areas and the Taliban are protected by local tribesmen. If Afghan troops go in the Taliban simply move, sometimes back into Pakistan. Moreover, the Afghans point out that Pakistan will not even admit that they still shelter the Afghan Taliban (openly in Quetta, Baluchistan since 2002) and the Haqqani Network (more discretely in several Pakistan locations.

June 20, 2017: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan) a JF-17 fighter shot down an Iranian Shahed 129 UAV that was at least three kilometers inside Pakistani airspace. Since 2014 Shahed 129s have been spotted in Syria and Iraq (near Iranian border) doing surveillance. In early 2016 a video on Iranian TV showed the Shahed 129 using laser guided air-to ground missiles. Iran did not make a big deal about the UAV lost over Pakistan and quietly told the Pakistanis that there was probably a navigation error. Iran is trying to persuade Pakistan to abandon Saudi Arabia as an ally and work closely with Iran instead. This is a hard sell as Pakistani ties with Saudi Arabia go way back. Moreover both nations are Sunni majority states and while some Pakistani officials favor more cooperation with Iran most Pakistanis do not. Iran and Pakistan both kept quiet about this incident.

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has accused India and the US of being "involved in an international conspiracy to sabotage the Indus Water(s) Treaty", reported Pakistani media.

India is "also supporting the conspiracies being hatched by Afghanistan against Pakistan", isn't giving any response to "Pakistan's peace initiatives" and is, like Afghanistan, involved in a "blame game" with Islamabad as the target, said Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's new foreign minister.

In his first press conference since being appointed foreign minister, Asif also reportedly said that "Pakistan's desire for peace and good relations with neighbours should not be construed as its weakness."

Regarding the clauses of the Indus Waters Treaty, Asif didn't specify how the US and India were involved in a "conspiracy to sabotage" it. All he said was that the international community has kept Pakistan in the dark about the treaty's clauses.

Asif may have been referring to what the World Bank,+ not the US, said last week about two Indian dams on the Jhelum and Chenab rivers. The World Bank plays the role of guarantor of the Indus Water Treaty.

The international lending organization said that as per the clauses of the Indus Waters Treaty, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers' tributaries with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the Indian construction of the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants on these rivers.

Asif made no comment about India's allegation that Pakistan is constructing six dams on the Indus river in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir with China's assistance, as Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha last week. The Indian government has in fact issued demarches to both Islamabad and Beijing over the constructions stating that it is in violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Pakistan's Asif meanwhile said they are "taken up the burning issue of stoppage of water by India into Pakistani rivers" with the World Bank. He then claimed that the issue of the construction of the Kishanganga dam "had almost been resolved by Pakistan and India about one-and-a-half years ago, but progress on it was halted due to suspension of further talks by India thrice afterwards," reported Nation.

"Both countries want the continuity of the Indus Waters Treaty, however, any violation would worsen relations even further," said Asif, according to The Express Tribune.

The foreign minister's comments on "Pakistan's peace initiatives" took aim at India as well as at Afghanistan.

"It's high time for both India and Afghanistan to come forward as good neighbours and give positive response to Pakistan's peace initiatives and end the blame game," said Asif.

In addition to India being "in a conspiracy with Afghanistan", India was also "continuously violating the ceasefire accord by shelling the civilian population along the Line of Control", Asif said.

India believes it's the other way around. India has often summoned the Pakistani high commissioner in Delhi over Pakistan's continual violations of the ceasefire.

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said that he knew well what would happen to him. - Nwaz has just been saved from doing the Whirlgig on the Lampost!

He vowed that he would soon unveil the conspiracy behind the case that led to his disqualification. “The people have discarded the verdict as they stand by me for the sake of progress and development of the country.”

Nawaz Sharif ... became the 15th prime minister of the country who got sacked without completing the term. He also became the first prime minister who was elected thrice but couldn’t complete even a single term.

Some important parallels can be drawn from the political instability and removal of prime ministers in the 1950s, and in the 1980s and 1990s. Both periods were fraught with political rivalry and politicians seeking support from the civil-military establishment instead of their constituents.

“(Ever since Independence) Pakistan’s political class is on one side and the middle class — which fills the state apparatus, including civil and military bureaucracy and the judiciary — on the other. The middle class state functionaries hate the guts of politicians whom they consider corrupt, inefficient and not entitled to rule the country”